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March 31, 2016

URGENT PRAYER UPDATE! PLEASE PRAY!NEW UPDATE:
We took AnnMarie for an MRI on March 28 and the results showed that the tumor
has grown back to the size it was before the surgery. It is obviously growing
faster than anyone, including the doctors, expected. We are asking again for
your prayers for Ann Marie, Julie and I to ask God to guide us on what route to
take from this point.As some of you know, we have the relic of Blessed Joann
(John) Liccii who is the patron of brain issues. We are asking you to pray to
him that God's will be done for AnnMarie. Please send to anyone we missed
that might be interested.UPDATE
3. The surgery lasted some 16 hours or so. She came out of it! Deo Gratias! First accomplishment! Please pray for Ann Marie's recovery, no doubt it will be long and slow. Life is so worth it!

2. December 11th we met with Ann Marie's doctor, his plan is to try to take the
tumor out. Surgery is scheduled for December 22nd, she is at home and is on a
steroid to help bring inflammation down before they can operate.

Please pray! Having experienced one's daughter having a brain tumor and surgery, prayers are immensely appreciated.

1. Please pray for sweet 12 year old Ann Marie Deans whose previously "dormant" brain tumor has doubled in size over the last year. It has been labeled as "inoperable". Urgent prayers needed for Ann Marie and for her family.

March 26, 2016

Tiny Boy busy fixing a tire... how much it was fixed is in the eyes of the beholder.

New little piggies! This day we bought 7 little ones.

They are just so very cute, albeit a little frightened after a ride "home" in a trailer.

We are having a a great maple syrup year this year! So far we've canned 56 quarts of syrup.

Here it is boiling down.

The I-don't-know-why-there-is-a-fire-outside-my-bedroom window fire. Usually I get an answer like, "It's an experiment."

"Tape it!" In return I said, "I don't have any tape" (who keeps tape in their bathroom?)

My bad, I do keep tape in my bathroom... in the form of band-aids. Of course.

Sam scored huge when he brought me a nice bunch of pussy willows. My favorite! I'm trying to root them since our pussy willow was up-rooted and washed down stream during the spring flood last year (waaahhh!)

A herd of deer! I believe there were close to a dozen.

Palm Sunday

We had a lovely outdoor procession for Palm Sunday. I didn't process since I had been sick. But I had the privilege to listen to the beautiful chanting that just welled-up so beautifully!

5 of my 6 boys serve and 3 of us sing in the adult choir (5 of us sing in the young ladies' choir as well)

I spent the afternoon braiding palms with some of the children. This is a crown of thorns.

I also braided some 2 strand braids and a whipping lashin remembrance of the scourging

Happy Birthday to Aragorn and Pippin who share a birthday.

Marigold all dressesd up. She decided she really, really wanted a pair of glasses. Aragorn shared one of his reading glasses, she's thrilled.

We had local flooding so we went up to the local dam to see the waters.

Kili waffles between being "Charlie Brown" and "Edmund" (Me Edmund) with sharp sword. For Easter he said he wants a sword for Charlie Brown and a bow and 2 arrows for Pigpen. Very thoughtful child!

Pippin is now 10 years old and thoroughly enjoying a rocket he received from his God Parents.

I like the little water droplets floating in the air to the right in this picture.

Personally, I found this sledding hilarious, but not everyone found it so entertaining.

All my karate kids except Frodo were belt tested. (Frodo was home sick but he was tested a couple weeks ago as a 2nd degree brown belt)

Poppy had her first belt test.

In addition to the 2nd degree brown belt we have 5 green with brown belts and 1 blue belt and 1 yellow belt. I think we better get a warning sign for the driveway, "Beware of the karate kids".

We had a splendid ice storm on Spy Wednesday - Holy Thursday.

Holy Thursday we celebrate the first Mass.

Here is our gorgeous altar of repose.

When we returned home from Mass, we found one of our trees was down from the weight of the ice!

We have a Holy Thursday tradition. I take any number of the children around to 3 local parishes to pray at the altars of repose. Our won for the loveliest!

Our diamond farm! The ice on the trees was absolutely gorgeous, especially since we had a beautiful sunny day following said ice storm.

Aragorn took these next pictures when we went to work.

I love this one above!!

Good Friday.

Procession of the Blessed Sacrament with our gorgeous ombrellino.There is no Mass on Good Friday, but the Sacred Hosts are brought from the altar of repose so that the Faithful may receive Holy Communion.

I brought some of the kids to the easter egg hunt at our parish, put on by the Knights of Columbus.

Pippin found one of the golden eggs and won a great basket of goodies.

We bought 5 more pigs on Holy Saturday. These ones are larger and will be ready for the butcher within a couple months.

I don't know where the dog finds his treats, this one is a deer leg. Seriously. Gross!

Today, Holy Saturday, was a beautiful day about 50 degrees so we worked a little in our Mary Garden. We planted 6 rose bushes. Our garden looks nice this time of year, just wait a couple months when it is very apparent we have no special gardening skill... except to grow expansive weeds!

Fr. Z graciously translated this old church Slovanic:The company of Angels was amazed, seeing Thee numbered among the dead.